Women On Road To Nowhere (Study Finds Women Can't Read Maps)

Canada.com ^ | today | some dude

[Rodney King]

Women on road to nowhere, study finds

Map reading is probably the main source of conflict between couples while driving. But the assertion that women are incapable of reading a map correctly has, unfortunately for the female sex, been backed up by several studies on spatial ability.

Men have used this convenient theory of the female lack of spatial judgment to criticize anything from a woman's ability to reverse into a parking space, to berating her when she fails to differentiate north from south while reading a map.

But now, it seems, the idea that women are wandering around in a kind of spatial vacuum -- where successful navigation is more down to luck than planning -- is only half the story.

While it is true that men find the instructions on a map easier to follow, women do far better when following a verbal set of directions, using landmarks to help them.

Psychologist Deborah Saucier, of the University of Saskatchewan, decided to re-examine the assumption that men are superior to women in their ability to navigate.

"Research into the field of spatial ability time and again concludes that men are superior," she says. "You get the impression that, for most of the time, women are wandering around lost, which is clearly not the case."

Saucier set up a simple experiment using male and female students, assigning them two different ways of getting from one point to another. One set of directions followed the classic Euclidian method employed by map designers, based on compass directions and distances, such as "walk north for 400 metres, then turn east."

The second set used landmarks, such as "carry on until you get to the large oak tree, then turn left and walk until you get to a house with a yellow door."

Having assigned men and women to both sets of instructions, she set the timer and waited at the destination. Her results will vindicate women who say that while they may not be able to read maps as well as men, they can find their way using landmarks.

[MissAmericanPie]

A majority of women vote like they read maps.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Ha, I knew that scoring off the charts for spatial aptitudes would one day come in handy.

"Step right up, ladies!"

[Tailback]

Before I had finished reading this I immediately thought of how my wife can't read a map, but can easily find places by using goofy landmarks. I tried to teach her the military map system but it was like beating my head against a wall. Men and Women are just different in some ways whether the feminazis like it or not.

[Ford Fairlane]

I don't get lost. But I will admit I know men that are way worse than any woman I know. (The type of guy that thinks a geo is a cool car & is always getting lost)

[JZoback]

When I give my wife direction it goes like this:

Drive to the mall
Drive away from the mall
Drive to the beach
Drive away from the beach

North, South, East, West are words that do not have meanings.

[mlocher]

Actually, in his book the author tells a tale ...

thanks. actually i have the book. my wife says it is the best thing in the house and that it has kept our marriage together. she constantly clobbers me with it.

ps -- you have a great screen name!

[goodnesswins]

What woman needs a map....??? True story - we were driving around Quebec City looking for our hotel....(my husband was the driver). Finally after trying to get to the place (we had NO map)....I told him to just let me drive - he thought I was crazy, but finally relented, in the middle of a street. I had us at our destination within 60 seconds. I just have a "sixth sense" when I'm in cities. I've been known to drive to other "unknown" destinations also. AND, I can read a map if I HAVE to also.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

My personal experience with using the ladies in my life, as navigators, is that instead of using the phrase-go north on Route 8-they will say,go up or go this way on Route 8. And when you question them, they become very flustered and then start turning the map in different directions,hoping for enlightenment. Best to map out the route ahead of time and then review it with them, before you depart.

[Fred Mertz]

You have a great screen name. Do you have one of those low, sloping foreheads too?

Can you give me directions to Las Vegas from Kentucky? I'm all ears...LOL

[KineticKitty]

Hey I forgot to tell you, last week coming back from Snyder I kept telling john "to take interstate 'this or that', but remember it will always be either south or east to get home...." Wouldn't you know it, he still made one wrong turn north, and then again later another wrong turn west, (I suppose he subconsciously wanted to head back to California?) it took seeing a sign that read our city pointing in the opposite direction before he let go of his "stubborness". lol

But hey at least it wasn't as bad as when we were driving north to Alaska, I woke up to him driving south, we argued for a good half hour (it was obvious, I went to sleep with the sun on one side of the car, and woke up less than an hour later with it on the other side), he didn't capitulate until a tour bus passed us in the oncoming lane with the destination of "Alaska" on it's front windshield. lol

Men, gotta love 'em. well... at least some of them

[Kaslin]

We went to visit my sister once and my husband decided to take a shortcut. We ended up having to be towed out of a farmers field.

[savedbygrace]

Women can't read maps, but they ask for directions. Men just get lost

No, we don't. We explore.

[jwh_Denver]

Hahaha! We've got all you fellas fooled.

You know when I know a woman is right? If she says "A man told me that........"

[ZinGirl]

Women on road to nowhere

so do I turn RIGHT when I get to the State of Confusion to get to nowhere? I spilled nail polish on the map...so I'm not sure....but I remember spilling it when I went North on Route Whatever that runs east past the mall.

LOL..couldn't resist...I was raised by a mother who INSISTED all 3 of us girls learn NORTH, SOUTH, EAST and WEST correctly.....

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

LOL.

[Aracelis]

Thank you both. And Mr. Mertz, I do not have a sloping forehead...but Piltdown_Woman is my nom de plume and thus a bit of a "fraud", since I don't care to reveal my true identity.

[Aracelis]

You know when I know a woman is right? If she says "A man told me that........"

And do you know when a man is lying? Everytime he opens his mouth! :-) Turnabout is fair...

[savedbygrace]

Well, they left the most important thing out of their little study. Like who's better at FOLDING the maps AFTER they've been unfolded.

I might pay money just to see that study in action.

[savedbygrace]

Piltdown_Woman is my nom de plume and thus a bit of a "fraud", since I don't care to reveal my true identity.

Well, we're sure glad you cleared that up.

(LOL.)

[Eaker]

Landmarks.....

To my wife this is a "Stop&Go" market. It is really a BP gas station. Why would a man turn left at a BP gas station when his only direction is a "Stop&Go" market??? Well, we don't! We keep driving until we see a "Stop&Go" market!

I NEVER ask a woman for directions.

Stay safe; stay armed.

Artillery brings dignity to an otherwise vulgar brawl.